Have you tried hitting above your level? Try tackling a forum with a level 1 above yours for starters, and if it’s okay you can aim even higher. You may need to have more of a strategy (better equipment, extra consumables, processing power), but I can comfortably pwn forums 3 levels above me for plenty of cred and only need one good ego restorer.

Harder forums will level you up faster, so give it a try.

Hackers with good hardware could go up to at least 3, sometimes 4 or 5.